A Demon's Caress
by Serenade the Arbiter
Summary: Time continues, as always, Raven focuses her attention on the trapped soul of an ancient book... Malchior. Nearly forgetting her faithful encounter with Serenade. During Malchior's training, she stumbles on the old book she was reading, just before Beast Boy destroyed it... but Malchior's Magic seems to be limitless as he restores it, slightly. Continues off from the last story...
1. A Demon's Caress

Been forever and half, overhauled the story because I lost where I was going with the old one. Sorry about that people...

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**- A Demons Caress -**

**- Chapter 1 -**

**- During the Spellbound Act -**

**- Titan Tower, Raven's Room -**

Raven gracefully moves books around in search of the next spell book, to further her training. She moves a stack of books, tomes and scriptures that have been piling up for the last month. One by one they hover in black energy, back into her book case. A quick glance of the last book stops her in her tracks, the books in mid flight to the book case plummet to the floor and the small smile that cracked on her face shifted into a grimace.

Stricken, she just stares at the old leather bounded book with an insignia of a dogs head, that had small quartz stones for eyes. A book that she forgotten about, until now...

"Raven is something wrong?" the known British ascent voice spoke from behind, startling her.

"This book..."

Malchior in paper mache body looks down upon the mysterious book with his black ink eyes, "I've never came across this before..." Out of curiosity he picks up the book with his magic and opens it up in front of him, only too see the black splotch mess on every page. He blinks flipping through the pages, "Hmm... seems this book is heavily damaged and would seem to be lost forever. But... my magic may be able to recover some passages from it, particular something useful."

Raven looks to Malchior even more amazed by his power, "Your magic can recover that?"

He coolly flips back to page one with glowing neon green energy from one hand beaming onto the page, "The organ player starts a low eerie lull as the young priestess stands alone within the Colosseum-"

"By Azar," she whispers spellbound, "You're... amazing..."

He gives a small humble chuckle, "So... shall I continue?"

Raven takes a seat on her bed, "Yes."

"Very well then..."

**- Azarath, Colosseum -**

**- Birth of Arella's Reign -**

The organ player starts a low eerie lull as the young priestess stands alone within the Colosseum. Her sights locked on the large gate that was before her. The organ continues to play its prelude of the horror of what rests beyond the gates bars; within its shadows. The sound of heavy foot steps comes to her ear along with the feel of a light tremble from the ground. The foot steps become louder, stronger than the one before it. Stones that laid across the ground start to vibrate vigorously, crawling away like bugs.

She takes a deep breath and remains standing, unfazed. The steps stop abruptly just behind the bars of the gate. A low feral growl echoes from the darkness behind the massive bars. The organ's lull comes to silence...

"Are you sure you wish to continue? You still have many years before this tria-"

She stabs the ground with her staff, "It is my destiny to become Seeress."

"The Hierarchs urge you to continue your trai-"

"No." He hand comes from her staffs head arcing slightly above her head, "I am ready to face the feral beast..." White energy crackles from the staffs crystal arching onto the palm of her hand, "I shall not fail."

A loud mechanical clunking noise comes from the gate, then is followed by a bone chilling metallic screech of the dead bolt. Then came the slow cranking of the gate; slowly it raises with the chains rattling. The gate raises fully stopping with a loud thump, locking in place to stay open. Silence over comes the Colosseum...

She stares within the darkness of the holding cell, waiting, expecting, bracing for what was to be the most fearsome, ferocious and feral creature ever known; an immensely powerful creature, one that slain her peoples leader... her mother.

She huffs, "Come out Feral Beast!"

Steel to fading lilac basketballs of eyes beam open from the darkness. A chill surges through her spine, rippling through out her entire body feeling the stare into her eyes, peering into her soul.

Her hand shines a vibrant white, palm thrown towards the darkness. A fiery bolt of the white energy erupts from her palm, "I said, show yourself FERAL BEAST!"

The fiery white ball twirls illuminating its flight path; the bolt disappears into the darkness. There is a loud thud like noise along with a white glow of the energy that barely escapes the darkness of the holding cell.

A loud snort comes from the dark, "You think that you can call on me?" a raspy feral voice speaks from the darkness unfazed by the young priestess's attack.

"Silence Beast! Come out and face your judgement!"

The eyes close, "You think that you can judge me?" the voice muses demonically.

"My mother's murderer shall not be permitted to li-" Dark flames flare out from the opening from the pin, giving off an ominous violet glow. The flames continue to creep out from the pin, the sound of a forest firestorm crackles loudly growing louder and louder as the flames climbing higher and higer; scorching the Colosseum's stone fabrication.

The organ starts as the firestorm continues, playing an awe inspiring prelude of terror of what the black flames concealed behind them. The large steel fading lilac eyes open, gazing through the flames that shrouded them. A heat wave belches out from the dark flames, "I didn't want your mother..."

Instinctively her arm shoots up shielding her face from the dust. The intense gale of wind rushes past her; her cloak and long violet hair ripple vigorously. The gale dies off and she returns to normal position, with the exception of her cloak's hood being stripped off over her head along with her hair draping over her back and shoulders.

Slowly a mass ghastly shadow forms behind the black firestorm and as it became more apparent the organs tone grew more in a stricken climatic tone. "I desired you, Arella..."

Her soul trembles, goose bumps surge through her body. She gives a small snort of discomfort, "Enough!" she roars with her white energy immolating from her body, "Enough talk! This en-"

The ground trembles, the dark flames belch out in a line towards Arella, leaving a scorched earth trail. Arella stabs her staff into the ground instantly letting out a bloom of her white energy out. The two energy clash with each other, but the dark flames still came at her, the only thing she successfully done was alter their path and slow them down. The dark flames part two ways streaking past her; slamming into the Colosseum's walls behind her.

She regains her composure, "Is that it?"

A chuckle echoes out from the darkness, "So sure of yourself are you?"

"Ever since I was sixteen and the death of my mother I've been training vigorously for this..." she starts spitefully. She gives a quick sigh, "This is my destiny..." her grip on her staff tightens, "To become the Seeress I must slay you."

The dark flames die down, "Destiny, eh?" the voice muses wisely, "Is it on ones free will or is it that bounds you?" Mist rolls out quickly from within the darkness, eerily looming over the Colosseum's battle ground, "Then let us see..."

The mist begins to part in front of Arella revealing a darkened figure that seemed to be that of a horse standing tall. The steel lilac fading eyes appear opening up peering through the mist, staring down upon her. The mist fades, slowly unveiling a behemoth feral dog standing tall, fortified, sturdy like one of the temples defensive turret towers.

The Feral Beast itself had a sense of majesty, a deep chocolate brown coat with a beige undercarriage and snout along with a blushed beige face; just as a Snow Dogs. It's eyes steel fading to an inner lilac around its pupils; sharp like cold steel just as spellbinding as quartz bathing in the sun.

The Feral Beast sighs loudly, giving off a sense of regret. "Let the eternal struggle..." it starts with a whisper. Quickly it slams the ground with its front paws, "... BEGIN!" It ends it with a howl.

A trio of da-

**- Titan Tower, Raven's Room -**

Raven's room pulses a red light with an alarm wailing about. Raven sighs annoyed, "Always at the good parts... never fails."

"As it would seem," Malchior adds with eyes shifting to Raven, watching as she gets prepared. "Shall I keep this place for another time?"

She puts on her near pure white cloak, that only had a slight tint of a blue glow, "Of course; I've always wanted to know what was on the book... before Beast Boy destroyed it."

"Should have known the green one wa-"

There was a hard knock on Raven's, "Come on Rae, we gotta go!" Cyborg hollered before running off down the hall.

She gazes at Malchior, with a small smile she says, "See you in awhile Malchior," before energy-melding to the others.

Malchior stands in the room alone, he stares at the unknown book he held in his hands. "What does this book hold that Raven finds fascinating?" He flips to the pages seeing nothing but ruin, until he sees the final words...

"... A Demon's Caress"

He ponders, "I must see further into this book..."


	2. Eternal Struggle

...

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**Chapter 2**

**- Eternal Struggle -**

"... Let the Eternal struggle... BEGIN!"

At the end of the Feral Beast's howl a trio of energy disks shoot forward from the Feral Beast. Slowly the blackened violet flame bulldozer like wheels fan out , barreling towards the young priestess, leaving a scorched earth path behind.

Without being fazed she throws up a barrier, far in front of where she stood. She begins to conjure up her next spell just before the center energy wheel contacts with her barrier. The two make contact, but the expected explosion did not come when both powers collided. Instead, the dark energy wheel of the Feral Beast spins slowly against the barrier of of the young Priestess; increasing its rotation speed with spin before shredding through the barrier.

The barrier shatters and the three dark wheels barrel down even faster then before they collided into the barrier. The young priestess stares at the raging darkened violet wheel steam rolling towards her as the other two flew off course passed her. She stabs her staff into the ground and raises her right bare hand, with nothing more than three brass like rings inscribed with ancient ruins of Azar.

"By the power of Azar, HALT!" she commands out loud before impact.

Just before contact a bloom of invisible energy flares over the young priestess' hand. The dark energy wheel comes to a near stop, barely spinning but not advancing any closer. She gives a surprise stare at the dark energy mere millimeters from the palm of her hand, unknown whether to be stricken by the rings power or the power of the Feral Beast.

Electric like ripples spark from the dark energy of the Feral Beast, clashing aginst the energy of the ring. The dark wheel starts to spin faster, with its speed growing with each full spin. Her arm starts to shake being drained as she resists against the dark energy. The dark energy steadily inches its way closer to her body as it pushes her hand back into her, tingling in numbness. The dark energy beings to singe the priestess. She grits her teeth, resisting the Feral Beast's energy but it seem that it wasn't possible. Quickly with the last remaining ounce of feeling in her arm she slings the massive dark energy wheel completely over her as if she was a speed bump.

She goes down to one knee, with other hand grasped on her staff supporting her up right. Panting, she looks too her hand that was being tickled by the Feral Beast's energy, drained of feeling. One of the rings crackle with hairline size cracks, that quickly grew and spread entirely across the ring. She stares witnessing a sacred a treasure of her people deteriorate before her eyes, until finally falling to pieces off her finger.

"Rise..." the Feral Beast growls lowly, "Destiny awaits..."

She looks up seeing the Feral Beast stand only several yards away, staring down upon her with its cold canine eyes. She grunts out a sigh and stands to her feet, regaining her fighting stance. She stares back at the Feral Beast, trying to keep an unfazed expression.

"Strike me!" It then leans low waiting for an action, preempting the next attack of the young priestess.

Her hand flashes forward, spewing out a white streak of energy aimed at the Feral Beast; surprisingly the Feral Beast doesn't take any evasive action. The white energy strikes a frontal leg of the Feral Beast, making the entire Feral Beast slowly pulse glow a vibrant white. The Feral Beast squints it's eyes, taking the infliction from the priestess' energy.

A couple of seconds pass and the energy faded away off the Feral Beast's body. It opens its eyes, "Is that all you have, Arella?"

"Don't speak my name foul beast," she scolds coldly, "You have no reason to talk to heir of Seeress-"

The Feral Beasts chuckles sitting down unfazed by the young priestess' presence and her desire for vengeance, mocking her.

"Such arrogance..." the Feral Beast comments, "You to claim yourself as the Azarath's next Seeress?" She keeps her ground and her stance, not letting him interfere with her concentration. He gives a quick snort, "You can't even faze me... _Seeress..._"

She maintains her focus staring at the feral beast, waiting for the feral beast to move. The feral beast chuckles wickedly with eyes closed and head tilted to the ground.

He looks back up to the young priestess steel to fading lilac eyes zoomed into her violet eyes, "You amuse me Arella..." he starts off coolly. He steps once forward disarmingly, she maintains her ground and mind. His ears turn to her, "You portray to be unsettled by my presence and words; but I see through your eyes that you are afraid..."

She still retains her stance but gives a deep breath of discomfort, still staring off the feral beast. The strategy foreseen by the young priestess was to stay far away from the Feral Beast as much as possible. It was suicidal for a spell caster to go against the massive paws and large jagged dagger like teeth of the Feral Beast. But the Feral Beast's power was unseen... this worried the young priestess.

The feral beast tilts its head in wonder, "Nothing to say, eh?" it then muses.

It takes a brief trot and stops mere yards away from the young priestess, who still maintains her ground, not yielding an inch nor a flinch.

The feral beast leans it's head down coming to eye level of the Seeress, staring her directly into her eyes. "I didn't desire your mother Arella..." he starts a loud sinister whisper, "I desired you." He takes a deep sniff of her scent. It gives a quick euphoric shake, "I will devour you Arella; I will devour your flesh, your life..." he pauses coming closer to her, "... and your soul..."

She swings her staff bashing the Feral Beast's nose. The feral beast steps back giving a small shake of its head. It snorts loudly before giving a ground shaking roar. It chomps its jaws close, quickly eyeing the young priestess.

"Your soul will be mine..." the Feral Beast finishes its sinister whisper before belching out flurry of streaming dark energy bolts aimed at the young priestess.

She slams her staff before her, the head of the staff swirls a neon blue energy which seemed to have deployed some sort of protective field. The dark bolts streak pass and pelt the area around her, one strikes the protective field barely deflecting it away from the young priestess' body. The bolt strikes the ground inches behind her booming a tiny explosion. The dark energy brushes against the young priestess, but oddly it did not harm her.

The staff immediately shorts out and the protective energy spurs to a halt and fades away. The Feral Beast again barks out another salvo of dark energy bolts and again she slams her staff before her... but nothing happened. She throws up her hand quickly for a barrier of her own energy, but nothing conjures. A bolt strikes her body, making her stumble back a few steps.

She recovers from the attack, but finds her self backsliding from the clamping jaws of the Feral Beast. She punches the nose of the Feral Beast shouting "Zinthos!" She blinked in surprise, the feral beast blinks as well unfazed, before swatting her to the side with one of its massive paw.

After a brief tumble on the coliseums dirt ground, she picks herself up. "Why are my powers failing?" she whispers lowly to herself.

"Get up, time to eat..." the Feral Beast says from behind.

She gets yanked up by her cloak and his hoisted up into the air. She struggles to wiggle free from the teeth of the feral beast. The feral beast dips his head down, nearly letting her feet touch the ground. Realizing what the Feral Beast was going to do, the young priestess detaches her cloak. She falls to the floor as the Feral Beast flings the cloak in the air, then as if the cloak were a Frisbee he jumps at it chomping down on it in mid air.

The Feral Beast lands on all fours with a small shake of the ground, it is then he notices that the young priestess was not within his jaws. "ZINTHOS!" the young priestess roars. A large white spiraling steam of energy collides into the Feral Beast, force pushing him back. It digs it claws into the ground resisting the energy as it continue to push him away. The energy dissipates, once again they find each other at a stare off.

The Feral Beast sticks the young priestess' cloak out his mouth. It gives a small chuckle, before slurping it up like a spaghetti noodle and gulps it down with ease. He gives a light satisfied sigh, "Your cloak is a foreshadow of what is coming for you, Arella."

"That cloak was my mothers! Give it back! You gluttonous Beast!"

The feral beast leans back, "You can have it back! when I eat you!"

The Feral Beast leaps forward, the young priestess unleashes a flurry of white energy bolts as the Feral Beast bounds. It takes multiple hits, none of them forcing a flinch. It lands shaking the ground unleashing a small bloom of its sinister energy from each of its paws. The small waves tickle against the young priestess's ankles, not causing any harm.

The Feral beast leers at Arella with an hungry face, "You look yummy Arella..."

"... Zinthos..." she chants calmly with elegant movements of her hands. She throws out both hands, cupped at the Feral beast, "Saint's Light!"

The feral beast tilts its head in wonder after three seconds watching the young priestess stand there still with hands cupped, "Was that suppose to alter me?"

Arella blinks and throws her hands out again, "Saint's Li-" she froze seeing the face of the feral beast inches from hers. She stares into one of the feral beast's dinner platter eyes, seeing her reflection in the blackened pupil. "Azar... hel-"

The feral beast's snout sweeps her from the side knocking her down to the floor. The feral beast head goes just above the downed young priestess's body, "You seem a little tense... I am going tender you up a little," it then takes a big sniff, "You smell tasty."

Arella Whirls around with her staff, shoving the staff up the snout of the feral beast's snout, "Tara'Kala!" The feral beast whimpers pulling back quickly, snorting attempting to sneeze out the staff. The nostril the staff is jammed in shines a vibrant neon blue, sparks begin to emit from it.

The muzzle of the Feral Beast surges and crackles with electricity, rippling around its muzzle. The feral beast shudders, wincing with eyes shut with each surging ripple as it attempts to the paw out the staff. The feral beast manages to sneeze out the staff...

"Saint's Light!" Arella chants out.

Standing straight, with hands cupped in front front of her, arms extended out; a white flash blooms out darkening the surrounding area-

There's pounding on the door, "Rae its almost time for our monthly training session! Hurry up before Robin starts squawking on us for being late!"

Raven sighs rising from her bed, she grabs her cloak, "Once again interrupted on a good part."

Malchior gives a small chuckle, "As always..." he comments referring to his tale of his book.

Raven gives a small smile, "As it would seem."

"Come on Rae!" Cyborg hollers from down the hall.

"I have to go, see you in a while Malchior."

He gives a small nod. "I shall wait here for your return, Raven."


End file.
